Course of the Month - Ring Commons, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Bog of the Ring is situated in rural Co. Dublin, approximately 5 km south-west of Balbriggan. It is a flat low-lying area with impeded drainage, showing signs of peat development in its upper horizons. The site was drained about thirty years ago, but still contains pockets of wet and damp ground where marsh vegetation occurs.

The local Pitch and Putt course is at Ring Commons Sports Centre. Ring Commons Pitch and Putt club has proudly hosted the Leinster Strokeplay Ladies Finals 2009, the Leinster Mixed Foursomes 2010 and the National Ladies Strokeplay finals 2011. Ring Commons was a spectacular venue for the National Ladies Strokeplay Championships last July and everyone was delighted with the course and the facilities on offer. The club can look forward to many more national events in the years to come.

Ring Commons Sports Centre was founded in 1977 by a group of young men from the local community. Initially the main interest was in Cricket as many young men were playing Cricket for other clubs around the area and came together to form their own Cricket Club, (Ring Commons Cricket Club).

As this group did not have any grounds or base they proceeded to reclaim a portion of the commonage (wetlands) at Ring Commons. This was done with the permission of the local landowners who had grazing rights.

Through strong fundraising and voluntary labour a portion of commonage was drained and converted into a playing field. It was decided to call this Ring Commons Sports Centre as the field could facilitate other sports and would be available for the people of the Ring Commons Community.

In 1990, further development took place in order to provide the local school with a football pitch. Ring Commons Sports Centre was at this point the centre of the community and sought to meet the needs of the community i.e. juvenile football, senior football, tug of war, model aircraft flying and cricket.

In addition to the superb 18 hole Pitch and Putt course, Ring Commons sports facilities include two soccer pitches, floodlit soccer training areas, and a rugby pitch, with plans underway to open a further number of full size soccer pitches. The clubhouse includes a large meeting hall, as well as offices, kitchen, changing rooms, toilets, showers and a fully licenced bar. Established in late 1999, Ringcommon Wanderers Football Club is the newest and probably the smallest football club in the area. The Ring Commons Sports Centre is the club's homeground.

Through fundraising, voluntary labour and a grant from Fingal Co Council, Ring Commons erected a permanent clubhouse in 1998 which boasts 4 dressing rooms with showers, an office, a kitchen, members' bar and a function room used for all community events.

In 1998 Ring Commons founded its own Pitch and Putt club and proceeded to develop and 18 hole course. This project was very successful and the Pitch and Putt club grew from strength to strength over the years. Development on the course itself was and still is ongoing and all involved have worked extremely hard to bring this course to the standard that it is at today - worthy of hosting some of PPUI's top events. The course is now seen as one of the major attractions within Ring Commons Sports Club.

Although the layout is relatively short and flat, the course is anything but easy. The 17th is considered to be a really tricky green for putting. The 8th hole at 40 metres presents a testing tee shot over a small stream with a fence either side. The green is but a couple of metres beyond the stream. The 10th measures just 30 metres but if the hole is cut on the ridge in the green, two putts are not guaranteed. Ring Commons club was very proud to be awarded a Special Merit Award at the National Convention of the PPUI on Saturday 26th February 2011, Particular credit was given to the ground staff who work tirelessly to keep the course in tip top shape.

Course address is:
Ring Commons
Co. Dublin

Email the club at francesmooney51@hotmail.com

The Ring Commons website can be found here...